ISBN: 1-56607-071-6 Pages: 225 Published: June 1999 See order form for price! Svenska About the report The Market for E-commerce According to International Data Corp. (IDC), the worldwide market for Internet-related services is expected to explode - from $4.5 billion in 1997 to $43.6 billion by 2002. The main impetus for this trend is the rush to implement e-commerce Web sites. Often, the term electronic data interchange (EDI) is used inappropriately as a synonym for e-commerce. In fact, EDI is only one aspect of e-commerce; e-commerce comprises other elements, including electronic faxes, e-mail, and e-forms. E-commerce has become a critical business component for many businesses. CTR's new report, E-commerce Success: Building a Global Business Architecture, explores the different e-commerce models - business groupings, business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce, and business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce - to help managers determine which method is most appropriate for their companies. Vendor and Consumer Perspectives The report is intended for e-commerce Web site implementers and users - both groups have much to learn about conducting business online. Although electronic retailing is similar to traditional commerce in some respects, a substantial amount of knowledge must be mastered before merchants can profit or consumers can purchase wisely at an electronic storefront. E-commerce Success: Building a Global Business Architecture addresses critical issues, including: Security Transaction Management Taxation Legal Issues Continuous Operation Scalable Software Design Interface to Legacy Systems Performance Implementation Costs Audit Trails Privacy E-commerce Security Issues E-commerce yields many benefits. However, the convenience associated with electronic transactions increases the need for security; the enterprise network can be compromised easily if the appropriate precautions are not taken. This report explores securing electronic processes, encryption, protocols and keys, authentication, virtual private networks (VPNs), and more. The focus of any effective e-commerce solution is the customer. Before increasing quality and delivery speed, an organization should aim to perfect the processes that yield higher levels of customer service. E-commerce Success: Building a Global Business Architecture explores system architectures from the perspective of basic approaches, core components, and design principals. This report also discusses the role the Internet can play in expanding an organization's global business success. The Evolution of E-commerce How does a company migrate effectively and smoothly to an e-commerce architecture? E-commerce Success: Building a Global Business Architecture explores this transition and highlights the seven fatal mistakes of migration: Overemphasis of technology issues Failure to obtain management support Weak project management Overly optimistic completion schedules Project team's lack of adequate skill levels Unnecessarily complex system design Underestimation of human and physical resources required for project completion E-commerce Technologies The Internet drives worldwide communications standards. Transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), post office protocol (POP), Internet messaging access protocol (IMAP), and hypertext markup language (HTML) are global standards that bind the world electronically. Because of the Internet's rapid growth, these standards are already being updated. The report addresses this issue, examining HTML, and extensible markup language (XML), which has evolved from HTML and standard generalized markup language (SGML). CTR's E-commerce Success: Building a Global Business Architecture report will help those implementing an e-commerce architecture to evaluate their companies' needs and capabilities, and pinpoint the most appropriate solution for increased profitability. Report contents E-commerce Overview Operating Principles Selling over the Internet Legal Issues The Web as a Global Entity E-commerce Models Business Groupings Retail E-commerce B2B E-commerce E-commerce Case Studies Security Considerations Securing Electronic Processes Encryption Protocols Security Keys Securing System Elements Authentication VPNs E-commerce Standards Compliance XML HTML SGML System Architectures Basic Approaches Core Components E-commerce System Design Principles Interface to Legacy Applications Impact of the Web Web Protocols Web Background Global Impact Core Components Technology Tools Cookies Objects E-commerce Tools Quality of Service (QoS) Search Tools E-commerce Support Tools Content Creation Tools End-user Specifications Application Support Scalable Software Design Transaction Management Transaction Processors E-commerce Background Technology Considerations E-commerce Products System Reliability E-commerce Migration System Planning Architecture Seven Fatal Mistakes Application Components Building an E-commerce System Key Implementation Issues Architectural Principles System Integrity Pitfalls Legal Concerns Implementation Costs Future Trends E-commerce Hardware E-commerce Software E-commerce Applications The Operating Environment